Vitamin D meets the grade

By Michael Johnsen

Vitamin D has been one of the fastest-growing segments in the VMS market since 2010, a factor that has been in step with the number of positive clinical studies establishing the need for vitamin D supplementation.

One of the more recent clinicals, presented Oct. 2 at the 53rd annual meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology, found that more than three-quarters of cancer patients have insufficient levels of vitamin D, and the lowest levels are associated with more advanced cancer.

“Until recently, studies have not investigated whether vitamin D has an impact on the prognosis or course of cancer. Researchers are just starting to examine how vitamin D may impact specific features of cancer, such as the stage or extent of tumor spread, prognosis, recurrence or relapse of disease, and even sub-types of cancer,” stated Thomas Churilla, lead author of the study and a medical student at the Commonwealth Medical College in Scranton, Pa.